Tropical Storm Debby danced along the Gulf Coast, flooding towns in northern Florida and putting a bit of hurricane fear into vacationers on Alabama’s beaches.
Intense heat is blanketing the Deep South and Eastern Seaboard, forcing some cities to open cooling shelters. Anniston’s forecast for the next few days is downright devilish; it includes several 100-degree predictions.
Most of Alabama is suffering from drought — or will be soon, based on recent readings. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor website, nearly 89 percent of Alabama is either abnormally dry or in a drought. It’s even worse in southeast Alabama, where there are areas of extreme or exceptional drought.
Meanwhile, wildfires raged — still are, in fact — in several western states, including Utah, Montana and Colorado, where fires have threatened the U.S. Air Force Academy.
The point: June’s weather is proving to be both intense and unfair. People out West are losing their homes. People in the South and East are sweltering more than usual in late June.
For now, this isn’t another climate-change discussion. Instead, it’s a call to action. This summer’s extreme weather is the real deal — dangerous and unrelenting. Don’t underestimate its power.
